Highest Bidder
by sofia-lindsay
Summary: Emily is helping with her mother’s charity event. How is JJ going to react?


Title: Highest Bidder  
Author: sofialindsay  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Pairing: JJ/Emily  
Disclaimer- As always, if I owned the characters, we'd be watching instead of reading.  
Rating: PG13  
Summary: Emily is helping with her mother's charity event. How is JJ going to react?  
AN: My muse has deserted me. If this sucks, blame my other inspiration. I'm not completely happy with the ending, but I decided I liked it better this way than my alternative. Thanks to for beta'ing  
AN2: Having never flown from DC to NY, I'm relying on google.  
Archiving: P&P, other's ask.

JJ sighed. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in her girlfriend's arms, but knew that wouldn't happen. Emily was in New York helping with her mother's charity function. Picking up her phone, she chose the next best thing: hearing Emily's voice. As the phone rang, it became apparent the brunette wasn't going to answer and JJ sighed. Today was _so_ not her day.

Thinking back, she wished now she had agreed to go with Emily when she had asked her to come along. In truth, the reality of being under the same roof with her lover and not being able to touch her was just too much. The Prentiss matriarch didn't know her daughter's preference in a partner, and as much as JJ was confident she had won the ambassador's approval as a friend for her daughter, she wasn't so sure that approval would carry over into the bedroom.

In fact, the last time the three of them had been in the same room, JJ had been sorely tempted to jump out the nearest window just to ease the tension. Thankfully, JJ could count on one hand the times all three of them had only been in the same room in the two years they had been lovers.

She was brought out of her musings by the phone ringing. Looking at the caller ID, she smiled when she answered. "Hey baby."

"Hey honey," came her lover's rich voice, "I don't have a lot of time, I'm sorry I missed you earlier. I was talking to Mother."

"It's okay. How are thing's?" JJ was expecting to hear details about the events for the charity, there was nothing would have prepared her for what was coming next.

"I told Mother about us…"

JJ's breath caught, "And…?"

"She took it pretty well, considering the two brandy's she had beforehand. She likes you, so it went better than I expected. She's still making me do the charity auction tonight though."

JJ was confused. "Baby, why did you think being with me would get you out of it?"

Emily hesitated. "Because they auction off dates with people."

JJ felt her jaw drop. _Oh hell no! There will be no one else dating __**my **__girlfriend!_ Realizing Emily was still waiting for her response, she calmly spoke.

"Emily Elizabeth Prentiss. Are you sure you told your mother you were taken?"

"JJ! Of course I made it clear. But I have to go. I love you. And if there was any way I could get out of it, I would."

"I know you would but I don't have to like it. I love you too."

After saying their goodbyes, JJ immediately dialed Garcia's number. Yes, she was acting in haste. Yes, she could be considered just a tad bit jealous. Yes, she'd suffer the consequences later. No, she didn't care one bit right now.

"Thank you for calling the Goddes—" The cheerful guru's salutation was cut short by a frantic press liaison.

"Garcia. Get me a seat on the first plane out of DC to New York. Use my credentials if you have to. Just find me a damn seat! And find out where the hell Emily is!"

"Whoa, Jay, calm down. What is going on?" Garcia knew JJ wouldn't ask her to trace the other agent unless something was really wrong.

"Her mother is going to auction her off! Now find me a ticket!" Had JJ been more lucid she would have realized how absurd she sounded, however at the moment, logic wasn't what she was following.

"JJ, will you calm down and make more sense? I promise you Emily is not going to go anywhere with anyone she doesn't want to. Now start at the beginning and tell Garcia what happened." Garcia was beginning to wonder if maybe the blonde had been drinking.

Taking a deep breath, JJ began, "Emily told her mother she was taken. And she is. By me! She is not going to go on a date with anyone else, regardless of if it's for a good cause. And I am going to New York to tell her mother exactly that! And where is my ticket?"

By this time Garcia had already found JJ a plane ticket, but sat perfectly still in shock at JJ's revelation. "Girl, if I were you. I'd work on that proposal before I face off with the ambassador. As for your ticket, it's waiting on you at the airport. You leave in thirty minutes. You'll have a car rented for you once you get there."

"Thanks Garcia. I knew I could count on you." JJ disconnected the call abruptly, leaving Garcia shaking her head.

2 Hours Later

JJ set in her rental car, trying to figure out where exactly she was going. On the plane, her logic had returned and she was second thinking her impromptu trip. Then again, the image of Emily dining with a random, more than likely rich man, was enough to convince her mind she was doing the right thing. Just as she was about to call Emily to get directions, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Let me guess. You are sitting in your car, with no clue where to go and need the Goddess Garcia to tell you how to use On-Star?" The computer whiz knew she was having too much fun with this, but if you couldn't have fun teasing your friends, who could you have fun with?

"I'd really appreciate it. I didn't really think this thing all the way through." JJ admitted.

Garcia chuckled, "Sure thing girl… I tracked her phone, so the drive to her will take about thirty minutes. Oh, I even found you a nice jewelry store along the way if you decide you need one. Oh, and size 7, if you were wondering."

JJ gaped as Garcia gave her directions on how to properly use the built-in GPS system in the car and wished her luck in her endeavor. As she pulled onto the interstate, she glanced at her watch; she just might have time to run by that jewelry store after all.

An hour later

JJ stood outside the large ballroom trying to remember how to breathe. It was times like these that reminded JJ of her lover's wealth, and she began to rethink her plans. Her original plan was to find her lover, tell the ambassador Emily was off-limits and spend the rest of the evening with the other agent. However, she had arrived a little late, and the elder Prentiss was seated near the stage at the front of the room and the bidding had begun.

"Can I help you, miss?"

When JJ faced the younger man, she was shocked to find she was looking in the same chocolate eyes that her lover had. The dark hair would have also reminded her of Emily had it not been defying gravity.

"Yes. Can you tell me where I can find Emily Prentiss?" JJ gave a shy smile, hoping the young man would oblige.

"Ah. You must be JJ." Seeing the woman nod, he continued, "I'm Nick, her cousin. She's told me a lot about you. Follow me, and we might catch her before she's up."

"Nice to meet you Nick. This is very urgent, so if there's the slightest chance she's about to go on stage, let's run."

Nick chuckled to himself as he led the determined woman to the side room where Emily was. His cousin hadn't been lying when she said her lover was drop dead gorgeous.

"Hey Emily, there's someone here to see you." His cousin's back was turned to him, but Nick noticed a subtle change in her posture before she turned around.

"Nick, I don't want to see any… JJ? Honey what are you doing here?" If there was any doubt in JJ's mind that her being there was a mistake, it vanished with the look in Emily's eyes.

Walking towards her lover, JJ gave a slight shrug, "I wanted to see you?"

Wrapping her arms around the blonde, Emily grinned, "Jealous?"

JJ pulled back and crossed her arms. "Sweetheart, there is no way in Hell you are going out there."

"Baby, I have to. If the 'Mother I'm a lesbian' excuse didn't work, I really don't think 'my girlfriend has a jealous streak and doesn't want me going to dinner with a man,' is going to work either." Emily tried to reason.

"Em, we love one another. Why should I have to share you with someone else? Even if it's for one night. I thought we were in this for the long shot."

"JJ, we are. Never think we aren't. We've talked about our future together, you know where I stand. But now is not the best time to have this discussion." Emily pulled away from JJ and instantly missed the warmth of the younger woman's arms.

"I want you to marry me Emily."

JJ's voice was so soft Emily wasn't sure if she had heard her right. Doing a double take she asked, "What did you say?"

"I want you to marry me. Screw what the law says, or the FBI, or your mother for that matter. I want to marry you!" The normally controlled press liaison searched the dark eyes for any sign of a response.

"JJ, is this coming from the fact you don't want me going out with a meaningless diner with someone else? I mean, are you just overreacting?"

JJ's heart landed somewhere near her feet, but her determination rose. "No Emily. It's not just jealousy. How could you even think that? It's been two years; I want to declare my love for you in front of everyone and promise you forever. So I'm asking you one last time. Emily Elizabeth Prentiss, will you marry me?"

Emily just stared at JJ as she processed the words. Finally, seeing the baby blue eyes start to slowly fill with tears, she snapped out of her shock.

"Yes."

JJ's head snapped up. "What?"

Taking JJ's trembling hands in hers, Emily smiled, "Yes, JJ, I will marry you."

A full smile graced the blondes face as she pulled a box out of her coat pocket. Showing it to Emily, she hesitantly opened it and looked at her lover; Emily's face was one of pure astonishment.

"If I was going to ask you out of jealousy, I wouldn't have come prepared with a ring." JJ slid the ring on Emily's finger and captured her lips in a kiss that quickly turned into a quest for dominance. Neither of them heard the ambassador walk into the room in a huff.

"Emily! You are supposed to be on stage! Stop groping JJ and get out there! You're holding everything up!" The sharp tone of Elizabeth Prentiss broke through the daze the two women were in and Emily reluctantly pulled away.

"Mother, there's a change of plans. I can't do it. I'm sorry." Emily replied, not taking her eyes from JJ's.

"And just why not?" Came the shrill reply, causing both Emily and JJ to wince.

"Because I just got engaged."

When Emily captured JJ's lips with her own, neither of them heard the thud behind them. Nor did they see Nick run to his aunt's side with a pitcher of water with a childlike expression of glee. What they did hear was the undignified shriek that came from the ambassador when the ice-cold water hit her. Pulling away from JJ abruptly, Emily said the only thing that came to mind that came straight from her heart.

"Run!"


End file.
